1.16.1997

Just got out of the shower. It’s the first one I’ve had in like a week. I think. Anyway, Dad is alive. He went into a local bar with a gun in his pocket and got totally hammered. Bullwinkel must have talked some sense into him. So he’s home now. Dad is totally lame for doing all this to Mom. She’s really at the end of her emotional rope. Whatever it is that he thinks is happening, or going to happen, I figure it’s all shit and Dad just tweaked out for no reason. I talked to him on the phone this morning and I didn’t mention anything about his episode. He doesn’t know I’m aware of what’s going on at his place thanks to Mom calling me and finking on him.

During the phone conversation with him, he brought up all sorts of crap that didn’t make much sense to me. He didn’t mention anything about problems at work or being suicidal. I called him to let him know I wasn’t going to be able to move the Oldsmobile until next week. He interrupted me and tried to blame the way he’s been acting on drinking booze. I’m not buying it. There’s more to what’s causing him to act so strange. Over the past couple of years in particular he’s become a lot weirder. Senility? I don’t know. He acts more like an out if it grandpa, than a Dad. The jerk.

My sister called me tonight at we talked about Dad’s episode. She was pumping me for information because she didn’t want to call and talk to Mom or Dad herself. Damn coward. She hates Dad more than I do and has been avoiding him for years as much as she can. To my surprise she feels the same way that I do. Dad is basically weak and our Mother is dumb for not doing anything about it. Like straightening Dad out or getting a divorce. She seemed to agree with me to try to stay out of their business as much as possible. No surprise there, she only calls them when she wants something, like some dough to fix her car when it breaks down.